Marquetry



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No. 424,958, Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFIQE.

EZRA C. CLARK AND GILBERT DERIAS BRIGGS, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK.

MARQU ETRY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,958, dated April 8, 1890.

Serial No. 295,186. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, EZRA O. CLARK and GILBERT DERIAS Braces, citizens of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marquetry; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a block for marquetry that will be durable, ob-

viate warping, be adapted to certain novel combinations, and capable of being manufactured by simpler machinery than heretofore employed; and it consists in the particular form of block and in combinations thereof hereinafter described and pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in plan view nine blocks joined by tenon-and-groove joints. Fig. 2 represents a section on line at as; Fig. 3, a section on line y y; and Fig. t represents an arrangement of rectangular and oblique-angled blocks.

Reference figure 1 indicates a block of wood, and 2 a tenon at each end of the same. At the sides of each block are provided grooves 3, adapted to receive the tenons of other blocks.

In Fig. 1, at the center thereof, is represented a block made of triangular pieces joined on the diagonal line 4: by glue or otherwise. This construction permits the introduction of a greater variety of ornamental wood, While the block possesses the characteristics of the others. The avoidance of contiguous grooves or tenons renders it unnecessary to make these triangular pieces rights and lefts in order to properly join them. In this block, as in the others, the tenons extend from the block in the direction of the grain or obliquely thereto, but not across the same, as it is our object to avoid the use of atenon that can be split off.

It will be seen that the above-described central block is raised above the surface of the surrounding blocks. This effect is attained by placing the tenons of one block and the grooves of an adjoining block in different planes of the respective blocks. If the tenon of one is located at or near the central plane, the grooves of the other should be placed above or below such plane. The central location of the tenons and grooves in part of the blocks and their uniform thickness provides that they may be used with either face up, and the most ornamental one exposed to view in either a raised or sunken panel without a corresponding reversal of the adjoining blocks. WVe are'aware that raised borders or frames have been combined with sunken panels made of blocks; but between such frame and the blocks there was wanting both uniformity of thickness and similarity of form, and also opposite location of both grooves and tenons, whereby raised or depressed panels could be formed of the same blocks, and in such manner as to permit the most ornamental surface of each block to be exposed to view.

By the use of these several features panelwork exhibiting woods having different grain may be variously arranged with excellent ornamental effect. WVe form the tenons so that they shall have their fibers continuous with the block and parallel with the length of the block; but they may in some cases be formed so that their fibers run diagonally, as indicated at 5, without losing all the advantages of our construction. This modification may be occasionally adopted for ornamental effect.

Blocks have heretofore been joined by intersecting grooves and similarlyarranged tenons. It is characteristic of our construction that no two tenons or two grooves are ever formed in the block on intersecting or adjacent edges, and also, in connection with this feature, that the tenons are made at each end and the grooves in each edge, so that the latter are not channeled or out across the grain of the wood, while the former-that is, the tenons--are formed by so cutting, whereby they connect with the block in the direc tion of the fiber of the Wood and will not split off from the same. It results from this method of forming the blocks that when they are joined together the direction of the grain in each of the several blocks willbe at right angles to that of adjacent blocks, whereby a variegated appearance is imparted, and also the effect of contraction or expansion will be more evenly distributed The arrangement of blocks to secure these results is not broadly of our invention,but only the particular construction hereinafter pointed out.

\Vhcre two tenons are formed adjacent to a corner, as heretofore practiced, one of them must be on a side and is necessarily lacking in strength and liahleto be split. Moreover, such adjacent tenons are not so well adapted to obviate warping as are end tenons, side tenons having little eifcct for this purpose. Our tenons, placed one on each end, are thercfore better adapted to prevent warping, and, being applied to blocks having grooves in each edge, said blocks can be combined as indicated. Blocks intended for a foundation to be covered by other material have been provided with end tenons, several of which were entered in one common end cross-piece, the main block having also side tenons and grooves; but such construction is disclaimcd by us.

One advantage of our block, which avoids tenons on intersecting edges, is that in those made of triangular pieces, such as illustrated at 4:, each piece will fit any other, and there is no necessity of niakingthem right and left, as would be the case were tenons or grooves made on intersecting edges, as heretofore practiced.

In manufacturing our blocks we first plane the boards and then cut them into lengths, preferably of three feet and two inches in width. These pieces are grooved on both edges and then cut transversely into blocks, the tenons being formed and the blocks severed at one operation by one or more pairs of saws, which operate on both sides of the material. It will be obvious that less manipulation of the material. is required to form end tenons and side grooves than intersecting grooves or tenons. The machinery required is simpler and can be adapted to form simultaneously a larger number of blocks, resulting in considerable economy of production.

The boards above described may be either quarter-sawed or slab-sawed. If lumber sawed in both manners is used, a greater variety will be given to the appearance of the grain of the wood. The size and thickness of the blocks may be varied as desired. The blocks are adapted for use in lloors, wainscoting, mantcls, furniture, and in all situations where ornamental wood work is appropriate.

In Fig. i is shown an arrangement of rectangular and oblique angled blocks which are made according to my improvement. It is obvious that various effects as respects the appearance of the grain of the wood can be produced by such arrangement. The tenons and grooves are arranged as in other cases, and with the same advantages in regard to ease of manufacture, strength of tenons, and the necessity of making the blocks rights and lofts is also avoided. There is further in every case an economy of material in the direction of its width,which is im' ortant when rare and costly woods are employed. This saving widthwise of the wood will equal the width of the tcnon, which by prior methods has been formed on at least one side of each block.

We are aware that marquetry blocks have been made with oppositcly-placed tenons and with corrcspondingly-arranged grooves, and also that in doors and other structures tenons are formed on the ends of the parts composing them. Such matters are not of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. For marquetry or like uses, one or more blocks provided with tenons located in a central plane of the same, combined with others having grooves loeatedat one side of their central plane, the blocks being of the same thickness, substantially as specified,

whereby either raised or depressed panels may be formed of the same block.

2. For marquetry or like uses, one or more blocks made of triangular pieces secured together along their longest faces, provided with tenons and grooves located in a central plane of the same, combined with others having grooves and tenons located. at one side of their central plane, the blocks being of the same thickness, substantially as specified.

A Wainscot or like wall provided with raised or depressed panels and composed of blocks of uniform thickness having part of said blocks provided with oppositely-placed tenons with their fibers continuous with the fibers of the blocks and having opposite grooves, both grooves and tenons being in a central plane, and of others provided with opposite tenons and grooves at one side of the central plane, substantially as described.

4. A wainscot or like wall provided with raised or depressed panels and composed of blocks of uniform thickness having part of said blocks provided with oppositely-placed tenons with their fibers continuous with the fibers of the blocks and having opposite grooves, both grooves and tenons being in a central plane, and of others provided with opposite tenons and grooves at one side of the central plane, one or more of said blocks being made of triangular pieces secured together along their longest edge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EZRA U. CLARK. GILBERT DERIAS BRIGGS.

\Vitnesses:

A. (J. throw, .TonN MITCHELL. 

